U.S. patent application number 14/736022 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-17 for linear sensor apparatus for vehicle.
The applicant listed for this patent is MANDO CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Gyung Hun SIM.
Application Number | 20150362307 14/736022 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54706825 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150362307 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SIM; Gyung Hun |
December 17, 2015 |
LINEAR SENSOR APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE
Abstract
A linear sensor apparatus for a vehicle includes a housing which
includes an accommodation space therein, a mobile member which is
provided in the accommodation space and has at least a part that
extends from the housing outward to be connected to a predetermined
driving system of the vehicle and linearly moves between a first
area and a second area according to driving of the driving system,
a magnet member provided in the mobile member, and an output unit
which outputs an OFF value when the magnet member is located in the
first area and outputs an ON value when the magnet member is
located in the second area.
Inventors: |
SIM; Gyung Hun;
(Seongnam-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MANDO CORPORATION |
Pyeongtaek-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
54706825 |
Appl. No.: |
14/736022 |
Filed: |
June 10, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
324/207.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G05G 1/00 20130101; B60R
16/023 20130101; G01D 5/145 20130101; G01R 33/0047 20130101; G01D
11/30 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G01B 7/14 20060101
G01B007/14; B60R 16/023 20060101 B60R016/023; G01R 33/00 20060101
G01R033/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 11, 2014 |
KR |
10-2014-0070602 |
Claims
1. A linear sensor apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a housing
which comprises an accommodation space therein; a mobile member
which is provided in the accommodation space and has at least a
part that extends from the housing outward to be connected to a
predetermined driving system of the vehicle, and linearly moves
between a first area and a second area according to driving of the
driving system; a magnet member provided in the mobile member; and
an output unit which outputs an OFF value when the magnet member is
located in the first area and outputs an ON value when the magnet
member is located in the second area.
2. The linear sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile
member comprises: an accommodation portion provided in the
accommodation space, in which the magnet member is provided; and an
extending portion which is connected to the accommodation portion
and extends from the accommodation space outward to be connected to
the predetermined driving system of the vehicle.
3. The linear sensor apparatus of claim 2, wherein the
accommodation portion comprises an accommodation groove having a
shape corresponding to the magnet member, into which the magnet
member is mounted.
4. The linear sensor apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing
comprises a through hole formed to be long in a longitudinal
direction, through which the extending portion passes.
5. The linear sensor apparatus of claim 4, wherein a width of the
accommodation portion is greater than a width of the through hole,
and wherein a width of the extending portion is smaller than the
through hole.
6. The linear sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnet
member comprises protruding portions which protrude from both sides
of the mobile member, and wherein the housing comprises switch
units which are in contact with the protruding portions and
generate an electrical signal while the magnet member is located in
the second area and transmit the electrical signal to the output
unit.
7. The linear sensor apparatus of claim 6, wherein the switch units
and are formed to be long in a longitudinal direction of the second
area.
8. The linear sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving
system is a rear-wheel steering system.
9. The linear sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving
system is a brake system.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0070602, filed on Jun. 11,
2014 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in
its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a linear sensor apparatus
for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a linear sensor apparatus
for a vehicle, capable of outputting an ON/OFF value due to a
magnet member included in a mobile member which linearly moves
between a first area and a second area according to driving of a
driving system of the vehicle.
[0004] 2. Discussion of Related Art
[0005] As a range of mounting electric components in a vehicle has
been expanded, electronic equipment of systems which are
mechanically driven has been rapidly performed. According thereto,
an input unit which converts an input signal from a driver into
electrical signals is urgently needed.
[0006] For example, in the case of a brake pedal or an electric
steering component, a measuring unit which measures an amount of
movement is very significant.
[0007] To measure an amount of movement of a system for a vehicle
as described above, linear sensors have been previously used, each
of which outputs an analog or pulse width modulation (PWM) signal
depending on a distance between a magnet and a sensor to measure
the amount of movement of the system.
[0008] Meanwhile, in the case of the brake pedal or electric
steering component, to perfectly receive an input signal of a
driver, mechanical offset compensation is necessary. Particularly,
in the case of a steering system, it is very important to detect an
absolute position with respect to a present steering angle of the
wheels. When a certain amount of offset is not properly compensated
at a point in time that an electric control unit (ECU) is turned
ON, a certain amount of drag occurs in a brake system and remains
as a loss and it is impossible to ensure the straight driving of a
vehicle.
[0009] However, since general linear sensors use a method of
converting a magnetic force value output from a magnet into an
analog or digital value, an output value may vary depending on an
input voltage or a peripheral environment.
[0010] Accordingly, it is necessary to overcome the limitations
described above.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
Patent Document
[0011] Korean Patent Publication No. 1995-0013889
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention is directed to a linear sensor
apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus capable of precisely
detecting a driving degree in a predetermined driving system of the
vehicle.
[0013] The present invention is also directed to integrating a
plurality of driving-detection-related apparatuses in a general
driving system.
[0014] Aspects of the invention will not be limited to the
described above, and additional aspects of the present invention
will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art from the
description as follows.
[0015] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a linear sensor apparatus for a vehicle. The linear sensor
apparatus includes a housing which includes an accommodation space
therein, a mobile member which is provided in the accommodation
space and has at least a part that extends from the housing outward
to be connected to a predetermined driving system of the vehicle
and linearly moves between a first area and a second area according
to driving of the driving system, a magnet member provided in the
mobile member, and an output unit which outputs an OFF value when
the magnet member is located in the first area and outputs an ON
value when the magnet member is located in the second area.
[0016] The mobile member may include an accommodation portion
provided in the accommodation space, in which the magnet member is
provided, and an extending portion which is connected to the
accommodation portion and extends from the accommodation space
outward to be connected to the predetermined driving system of the
vehicle.
[0017] The accommodation portion may include an accommodation
groove having a shape corresponding to the magnet member, into
which the magnet member is mounted.
[0018] The housing may include a through hole formed to be long in
a longitudinal direction, through which the extending portion
passes.
[0019] A width of the accommodation portion may be greater than a
width of the through hole, and a width of the extending portion may
be smaller than the through hole.
[0020] The magnet member may include protruding portions which
protrude from both sides of the mobile member, and the housing may
include switch units which are in contact with the protruding
portions and generate an electrical signal while the magnet member
is located in the second area and transmit the electrical signal to
the output unit.
[0021] The switch units may be formed to be long in a longitudinal
direction of the second area.
[0022] The driving system may be a rear-wheel steering system.
[0023] The driving system may be a brake system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent to those of ordinary
skill in the art by describing in detail exemplary embodiments
thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the entire
appearance of a linear sensor apparatus for a vehicle according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
structure of the linear sensor apparatus according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating contact
between a magnet member and a switch unit in the linear sensor
apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in
which a mobile member and the magnet member are located in a first
area in the linear sensor apparatus according to one embodiment of
the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in
which the mobile member and the magnet member enter a second area
from the first area in the linear sensor apparatus according to one
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0030] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating a measuring algorithm of the
linear sensor apparatus according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be
described in detail below with reference to the accompanying
drawings. While the present invention is shown and described in
connection with exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent
to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
[0032] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention,
which may embody aspects of the present invention, will be
described with reference to the attached drawings. Throughout the
specification, like reference numerals designate like elements and
a repetitive description thereof will be omitted.
[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the entire
appearance of a linear sensor apparatus for a vehicle according to
one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded
perspective view illustrating a structure of the linear sensor
apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the linear sensor apparatus
according to one embodiment includes a housing 100, a mobile member
120, a magnet member 122, and an output unit 110.
[0035] The housing 100 includes an accommodation space thereinside,
in which other components are accommodated. According to the
embodiment of the present invention, the housing 100 includes an
upper housing 100a and a lower housing 100b and the accommodation
space is formed by combining the same.
[0036] Also, an extending portion 124 of the mobile member 120,
which will be described below, passes through the lower housing
100b and a through hole 102 which is formed long in a longitudinal
direction and formed in the lower housing 100b. That is, the mobile
member 120 may move along the through hole 102.
[0037] The mobile member 120 is included in the accommodation space
but at least a part thereof extends from the housing 100 and is
connected to a predetermined driving system of the vehicle. Also,
according to driving of the driving system, the mobile member 120
may linearly move between a first area and a second area.
[0038] In the embodiment of the present invention, the mobile
member 120 includes an accommodation portion 126 and the extending
portion 124. The accommodation portion 126 includes the magnet
member 122 which will be described below and is included in the
accommodation space. Also, the extending portion 124 is connected
to the accommodation portion 126 and extends from the accommodation
space and is connected to the predetermined driving system of the
vehicle.
[0039] Here, the accommodation portion 126 includes an
accommodation groove having a shape corresponding to the magnet
member 122, into which the magnet member 122 is mounted.
[0040] Also, the predetermined driving system of the vehicle may be
one of a rear-wheel steering system and a brake system. That is,
the extending portion 124 may be connected to any one component of
the rear-wheel steering system and the brake system while being
exposed outside the accommodation space and may linearly move along
the through hole 102 according to driving thereof.
[0041] Accordingly, the linear sensor apparatus according to one
embodiment of the present invention may perform one of measuring a
central point of a rear-wheel steering apparatus and determining
whether there is an input to a brake pedal, which will be described
below.
[0042] Meanwhile, in order to prevent the mobile member 120 from
being separated from the housing 100, a width of the accommodation
portion 126 is greater than a width of the through hole 102 and a
width of the extending portion 124 is smaller than the width of the
through hole 102.
[0043] The magnet member 122 is included in the mobile member 120
and generates a magnetic force. Accordingly, the magnet member 122
may be moved together with the mobile member 120.
[0044] In the embodiment of the present invention, the magnet
member 122 includes protruding portions 123 which protrude more
than the mobile member 120 and are in contact with switch units 130
and 132 (refer to FIG. 3) which will be described below, thereby
generating an electrical signal.
[0045] Also, the output unit 110 is provided in the accommodation
space and senses the electrical signal generated by contact between
the magnet member 122 and the switch units 130 and 132. However,
embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto and
the output unit 110 may be provided as a type that senses the
magnetic force of the magnet member 122.
[0046] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the contact
between the magnet member 122 and the switch units 130 and 132 in
the linear sensor apparatus according to one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, the magnet member 122 includes the
protruding portions 123 which protrude from both sides of the
mobile member 120.
[0048] Also, the housing 100 includes the switch units 130 and 132
which are in contact with the protruding portions 123 and generate
an electrical signal while the magnet member 122 is located in the
second area and transmit the electrical signal to the output unit
110.
[0049] Here, in detail, in the embodiment of the present invention,
the switch units 130 and 132 include a voltage generating port in
contact with one of the protruding portions 123 and a monitoring
port 130 in contact with the other of the protruding portions
123.
[0050] That is, in the case of the embodiment of the present
invention, since an electrical signal is not generated when the
magnet member 122 is located in the first area, the output unit 110
may generate an OFF signal. When the magnet member 122 is located
in the second area, an electrical signal is generated due to the
contact between the switch units 130 and 132 and the magnet member
122 and the switch units 130 and 132 may transmit the electrical
signal to the output unit 110, thereby generating an ON signal.
[0051] Also, in the embodiment of the present invention, the switch
units 130 and 132 are formed to be long in a longitudinal direction
of the second area. Accordingly, even when the magnet member 122 is
located in any position of the second area, it is possible to
generate an electrical signal.
[0052] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in
which the mobile member 120 and the magnet member 122 are located
in the first area in the linear sensor apparatus according to one
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional
view illustrating a state in which the mobile member 120 and the
magnet member 122 enter the second area from the first area in the
linear sensor apparatus according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0053] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the embodiment of the present
invention, a movement range of the mobile member 120 is divided
into the first area and the second area based on a predetermined
point. That is, as described above, the output unit 110 may output
an OFF value when the magnet member 122 is located in the first
area and may output an ON value when the magnet member 122 is
located in the second area.
[0054] That is, in the case of the embodiment of the present
invention, a point in time that the magnet member 122 shifts from
the first area to the second area while moving from one side to
other side is measured to be used for offset compensation.
[0055] Here, the point in time that the magnet member 122 shifts
from the first area to the second area may be set as a point in
time that the magnet member 122 is contact in the switch units 130
and 132 and an electrical signal is generated as described
above.
[0056] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating a measuring algorithm of the
linear sensor apparatus according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0057] As shown in FIG. 6, since a sensor output measured by the
output unit 110 has a digital change of ON/OFF in one embodiment of
the present invention, a rising edge and a falling edge are present
in the graph.
[0058] That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the point in time that the
magnet member 122 enters the second area from the first area due to
the mobile member 120 may be sensed by the output unit 110 and a
present point may be calibrated to origin through an edge change at
this point in time.
[0059] Here, the first area may indicate an ON signal and the
second area may indicate an OFF signal or vice versa.
[0060] As described above, when the linear sensor apparatus
according to one embodiment of the present invention is used, it is
possible to measure a central point of a rear-wheel steering
apparatus in a rear-wheel steering system or to precisely determine
whether there is an input to a brake pedal in a brake system.
[0061] Also, a sensor value obtained by measuring an absolute
position of the driving system by the linear sensor apparatus for
the vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention
may be stored in an electronic control unit (ECU, not shown) for
controlling a state of the vehicle. The sensor value may be stored
in an electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory
(EEPROM) which is an internal memory of the ECU. The stored sensor
value may be used as information for allowing origin point control
and position control when the driving system is driven.
[0062] As described above, the sensor value obtained by measuring
the absolute position of the driving system by the linear sensor
apparatus is used as the information for the origin control and
position control, thereby easily performing the origin control and
position control of the driving system.
[0063] The linear sensor apparatus according to the embodiments of
the present invention has the following effects.
[0064] First, it is possible to precisely detect a driving degree
of each apparatus in a driving system such as a brake system and
rear-wheel steering system of a vehicle.
[0065] Second, according thereto, it is possible to integrate a
plurality of driving-detection-related apparatuses in a general
driving system, thereby reducing cost.
[0066] Third, since an apparatus is not complicated and simple, it
is possible to reduce manufacturing costs and to significantly
decrease a failure rate.
[0067] Effects of the invention will not be limited to the
described above and additional effects will be obvious to one of
ordinary skill in the art from the description as follows.
[0068] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications can be made to the above-described exemplary
embodiments of the present invention without departing from the
spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the
present invention covers all such modifications provided they come
within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *